Method of and apparatus for making sheets of impression material



Feb. 5,' 1929. 1,700,962

G. VON WEBERN IETHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEETS 0F IMPRESSION MATERIAL Original Filed July 30, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 5 1929. 1,700,962 G. vou WEBERN MEI HOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEETS 0F IMPRESSION MATERIAL Original Filed July so, 1924 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwvenfoz MAL w) 271.41

attoz may Patented Feb. 5,1929.

UNITED STATES 1,700,962 PATENT OFFICE.

GUIDO VON WEBERN, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO, ox- FORD VARNISH CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHI- GAN.

METHOD 01 AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING SHEETS OF IMPRESSION MATERIAL.

' Application filed July 30, 1924, Serial No. 729,135. Renewed March 31, 1928.

The present invention relates to apparatus for use in the commercial reproduction of designs of an artistic nature and more particularly to a process for simulating wood graining, or the like, upon metal or other surfaces.

One of the principal objects of. the present invention is to provide a roll having an improved im ression material, and an improved met 0d of making the'same, for use in the said process of simulating wood graining and the like.

Other objects of the inyention will be apparent from the following panying drawings, and in which I Fig. 1 is a longitudinal View, partly in elevation and partly, in section, showing the pouring table employed in practicing the present invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are side elevation and plan views respectively of the applying machine employed in ap lying the impression material to the surface of a roll in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the apparatus in Fig. 2.

In the process of reproducing designs of an artistic nature, as for example simulating wood graining upon metal or other surfaces, the design is first formed on a surface of a plate, and this design then transferred to another surface by passing a roll first over the surface of the plate uponwhich the design is,produced and then passing the roll over the surface to which the design is to be transferred. The roll has a surface of a flexible or'impression-receiving material so that the ink'design adheres to the surover the second surface the design a heres thereto, leaving the roll without any design on its surface. upon'fthe first surface or plate in any des red-manner as by painting, or by forming r the. djesign in relief upon the plate, but preferably-thedesign is produced by means of depressions in the plate, which depressions are filled with a suitable ink and constitute the design to be transferredrFor artistic work which portrays the minute cellular construction of wood graining, as well as the shades of color in the-surface of the wood,'the design is p'referablypbtained by specification 15 when taken in connection wlth the accom the roll and maythen be transferred to the face of the roll, and when the roll is assed plate to the surface of any selected object.

The design may be placed.

photographing a piece of wood and then 55 transferrlng the design from the photographic negative to a copper, or other type of inkplate by means of etching or any suitable rocess. 'After'theplate has been formed t e entire plate is covered with ink, paint, varnish, -or othercolor bearing mediumfor purposes of easier description hereinafter referred to as inkand a doctor is then draw n over the surface of the plate to wipe the ink off the top surface of the plate leaving the depressions or etched portions of the plate filled with ink.

When the roll is passed over the ink plate the design or ink adheres to the surface of 70. prepared surface which is to receive the design. However, great difliculty .has been experienced, particularly in fine work, in se- I curing rolls havin surfaces suitable for satisfactorily tran erring thedesi from the ink plate to the surface which as been prepared to receive the design, owing to the dificulty of preventing the formation of bubbles or other defects in the surface of the roll, which result in the forming of imperfect designs from perfect lates. This has been particularly true with respect to rolls of large size. Heretofore the surface layers for these rolls have been cast in cylindrical metal, or similar molds. Such surface layers almost'invariably contain large numbers of air bubbles which are often soeat in number as to render the surface ayer useless, or quite inferior.

The present application discloses a method and apparatus for producing a roll of such improved character as to overcome the difliculty mentioned whereby substantially perfeet transfers may be 'made from an ink Fig. 1 shows .a' pouring table which is used in forming the flexible or impression material, which material is formed as a slab or sheet and then secured to'the circumferential surface of a core or other backing, the

backing being preferably of rigid or substantially rigid constructions. The sheet of impression material may be of any suitable thickness but it has been found in practice that good results are obtainable from a sheet having a thickness of one to one and onehalf inches. The impression material preferably consists'of'glue and glycerinein varying proportions, depending on the physical characteristics desired in the finished product. The roportions of one-half glue and one-half g ycerine, which melts at a tem perature of about 120 or 130 F. ives very satisfactory results under normal, conditions.

The composition may be melted in the water jacketed vessel 20 and then poured through a suitable faucet 21 upon the horizontally disposed top 22 of the pouring table, this top bein preferably a slab of polished marble, suitably supported. A frame composed of rails or strips 23 is secured to the top of the marble slab by means of clamps 24, the strips forming the ends and sides of the frame being preferably separable so that the frame may be made of any size or shape according to the size of sheet that it is desired to pour, and to facilitate removing the sheet from the slab. Beneath the marble slab 22 and cooperating therewith to form a closed chamber is a heating pan 25 which is adapted to contain water or any other suitable liquid which may be heated or boiled by means of the burners 26 located at various positions underneath the heating pan.

When it is desired to pour a sheet of the impression material or composition the water in the pan is heated to bring the marble slab to a temperature of about 160 F. When the slab has attained this temperature the composition is poured on the table to form a sheet of the desired thickness generally about one or one and one-half inches. The composition which melts at a temperature of about 120 in the case of a. 50-50 glue glyceriue composition, is thus received upon a table having a higher temperature so that it is not subjected to a chilling effect. The layer of composition and the marble pouring slab, water pan, etc., are then allowed to cool, which cooling takes place at a comparativel slow rate owing to the heat capacity of the composition, the marble slab, the water pan and other heated parts of the pouring table. Due to the slow cooling the layer of composition remains liquid for a considerable period so that substantially all the bubbles of air, water vapor or other matter in the composition rise in the heavy viscous composition and escape so that the surface which is formed on the impremion material where it lies in contact with the marble slab is smooth and free fromthese objectionable bubbles. The marble slab is preferably oiled, with a suitable oil, such as paraflin oil, in order to fill the pores of the marble, any surplus oil being wiped oif carefully so that there is no free oil on the surface This oil treatment of the marble prevents sticking of the composition and also results in a smoother surface. The marble should be given this oil treatment from time to time as needed. It is the surface of the composition which lies in contact with the marble slab that will become the impression-receiving surface of the roll after the material is secured to the core.

To secure the best results by this process, the sheet of impression material is stripped from the marble slab after it has cooled and preferably allowed to'scason'for four or five wceksin a dry atmosphere to get rid of all moisture in the composition. Such seasoning is not essential but has'been, in practicc, found to be preferable. The composition isthen rcmclted and the process above described for pouring a sheet of impression material is repeated. This seasoning and repouring process results in a sheet of impression material, having an impression surface of extreme smoothness and uniformity. The finished sheet is preferably spread out on a flexible copper plate, from which all, or portions,of it may be removed, as desired, for forming rolls.

Having formed the sheet of impressionmat-erial of the proper size and shape, this sheet is now ready to be secured to the surface of the roll orother backingp For this purpose the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is provided, such apparatus consisting of a framework adapted to support the roll or backing, and the sheet. of impression material in such position that they may be readily brought into engagement with one another, it being understoo that the sheet of impression material is to lie on the pcripheral surface of the roll and to be secured thereto. The frame work of the applyingmachine is provided with the horizontally disposed supporting bars 30 for supporting the roll or backing 31 in position to receive the impression sheet. At one end of the frame work there are posts 32 which are provided with a ledge or shoulder 33 to support one end of the copper plate 34 which carries the sheet of impression material 35, the smooth or impression surface of which lies in contact with the copper plate.

Mounted on the posts 32 adjacent'the end of the copper plate when the latter is rest ing on the ledge 33, is a roller 36 over which the impression sheet may be drawn towards the roll 31. Pivotally mounted in the frame work of the applying machine are three pressure rolls 37, 38 and 39. which are arranged in a series and adapted to bear against the periphery of the roll 31. Adjustable spring tension devices 40 are socured to the ends of the pressure rolls 37, 38 and 39 to provide the desired pressure against the surface of the roll 31. In order that the applying machine may receive rolls 1 of various diameters, each supporting bar 30 is provided with asupporting bracket 41 to receive the shaft 42 of the roll, the supporting bracket being adjustable horizontall alongthe supporting bar 30 so that the y proper relation with respect to the pressure rolls 37, 38 and 39. After adjustment the supporting brackets 41 are secured in position in any suitable manner as by means of the fastening bolts 43 and wedges 44.

When it is desired to secure the sheet of impression material to the-roll, it being assumedthat the roll 31 is in position in the frame and the copper sheet carrying the impression material 35 is in position with its edge resting on the ledge 33, the operator draws the end of the sheet 35 over the roll 36 and enters it between pressure roll 37 and the surface of the backing roll 31. Heat is then applied, as by means of a torch 45 to the surface of the impression material adjacent the line of contact between the impression material and the backing 31. In this manner the surface of the glue-gylcerine composition of the impression material is softened so that it will adhere to the backing roll 31. The impression material thus furnishes its own adhesive and it may thus be joined directly with the backing roll 31 and without the introduction of an intermediate adhesive material. By turning the backing roll 31 slowly in a counten-clockwise direction the softened or melted surface of the impression sheet is brought into close intimate contact with the periphery of the backing roll under the pressure of the pressure rolls 37, 38 and 39, and other portions of the sheet 35 are brought under the influence of the heating torch 45 and in turn compressed against the backing roll by the pressure rolls. By the time that the sheet.

35 emerges from the influence of the pressure roll 39, the surface in contact with the backing roll has set and the'impression sheet is firmly secured to the backing roll.

This method of joining the impression ma-. terial with the backing has the advantage that the impression material is secured for transferring impressions from an ink plate to a receiving surface.

Whilethe method herein described, and the forms of apparatus for carrying that method into effect, constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise forms, and that changes-may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention."

What is claimed is 1. The method of making an impression material having a surface suitable for transferring an impression from one surface to another surface by contact successively with said surfaces, which method consists in melting a composition of glue and glycerine, pouring the mixture to form a sheet, aging 7 the sheet, remelting the composition, pouring the composition upon a smooth surface to form a sheet of the desired thickness, and cooling the sheet slowly.

2. The method of making an impression material having a surface suitable for transferring an impression from one surface to another surface by contact successively with said surfaces, which consists in preparing a substantially homogeneous composition of glue and glycerine, aging the same to remove water and the like, melting the compo- 'sition, and pouring upon a smooth surface to form a sheet of the desired thickness.

3. The method of'making an impression material having a surface suitable for transferring an impression from one surface to another surface by contact snuccessively with said surfaces, which method consists in melting a composition of glue and glycerine, pouring the composition upon a smooth substantially horizontal surface to forma sheet of the desired thickness, and maintaining the sheet liquid for a substantial period.

4. The method of making an impression material having a surface suitable for transferring an impression from one surface to another surface by contact successively with said surfaces, which method consists .in pouring the composition with its impression-receiving surface in contact with a smooth heated, surface and gradually cooling said surface to cause the material to set.

5. The method of making a sheet of im-- pression material of the character described, 110 adapted for attachment to a suitable backing member, which consists in pouring a portion of a glue-glycerine composition upon a smooth slab heated above the melting. temperature of the composition and 115 maintaining the layer of composition on the slab liqpid for a substantial period.

6. In apparatus for fornnng an impression material, a slab having a surface smoothed and adapted to be treated with 120 material to prevent sticking of the impression material thereto, means for pouring the impression material in contact with said surface, removable means bounding to the top of the slab for confining the poured ma- 125 terial,and means for heating said slab.

7 The method of making composition impression transfer material for use in offset printing, comprising heating the composi tion to melt it, pouring the molten composi- 13 tion on a substantially smooth horizontal surface, and then maintaining the temperature of the composition for a substantial period to cause bubbles to rise upwardly substance to form a transfer sheet compris in'g, melting the substance, pouring the same on a substantially smooth horizontal surface, bounding the surface to maintain the substance on the surface at a constant depth, maintaining the substance in molten state by the application of heat thereto for a substantial period to cause all bubbles to rise away from such surface, and finally dissipating the heat to congeal the Substance.

9. The method of making impression transfer material of the character described, comprising, melting the raw material, pouring the molten material upon a plate having a substantially smooth upper surface, uniformly heating the plate through a heat conducting fiuid in contactv therewith and maintaining the heat for a si bstant/ial pe-- signature.

riod to cause bubbles in the molten material to rise clearof the surface and finally dissipating the heat to congeal the material.

10. The method of making impression transferring material of the character described comprising melting the raw material,

material comprising a body havi "g a substantially smooth upper surface dapted to be treated to prevent adhesion of the material thereto, means bounding the. said upper surface to form a rim for containing the material, and means forminga fluid chamber below the body for conducting heat uniformly to the said surface of the body.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix .my

GUIDO VON WEBERN. 

